NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire (PMS 205)

Agency or circumstance which started a fire or set the stage for its occurrence.

Activities related to the construction of residential, commercial, industrial buildings, infrastructure or civil engineering works.

A forecast, issued daily during the regular fire season to resource management agencies, that is intended for planning of daily fire management activities, including daily staffing levels, prevention programs, and initial attack on wildfires.

The larger area where the fire first established itself and is identified by an analysis of the fire behavior context, macroscale fire pattern indicators, and witness statements.

A regular federal government employee who is compensated under the General Schedule (GS) Pay Plan.

A group of incident personnel organized according to function and reporting to the Incident Commander or Unified Command. The ICS General Staff consists of the Operations Section Chief, Planning Section Chief, Logistics Section Chief, Finance/Administration Section Chief.

Indicates whether the resource is available or unavailable to fill a capability request.

Large scale winds caused by high- and low-pressure systems but generally influenced and modified in the lower atmosphere by terrain.

A boundary designated by governmental agencies (wildland fire protection agencies) within which they work together for the interagency, intergovernmental planning, coordination, and operations leadership for the effective utilization of emergency management resources within their area. There are ten geographic areas. A listing of the areas can be found in the National Interagency Mobilization Guide, Chapter 70 along with listings of the Geographic Coordinating Areas and Geographic Area Coordination Centers.

A code that identifies one of the wildland fire geographic areas.

The name of the geographic area that identifies a boundary designated by wildland fire protection agencies within which they work together for the interagency, intergovernmental planning, coordination, and operations leadership for the effective utilization of emergency management resources.

An interagency body of fire management representatives from each federal and state land management agency within a nationally recognized regional area that provides leadership and support to facilitate safe and efficient fire management activities. Working collaboratively, a GACG's mission is not only for wildland fire emergencies, but for other emergency incidents, as necessary.

The physical location of an interagency, regional operation center for the effective coordination, mobilization and demobilization of emergency management resources. A coordination center serves federal, state and local wildland fire agencies through logistical coordination of resources throughout the geographic area, and with other geographic areas, as well. Listings of geographic coordination centers and their respective geographic coordinating areas can be found within the National Interagency Mobilization Guide. 

Shortened form of Geographic Area Coordination Center name.

The name of an interagency operations center that provides coordination, mobilization, and demobilization of emergency management resources within a specific geographic coordinating area.

A polygon depicting geographic area boundaries.

NWCG Unit Identifier for GACC Boundary

A boundary designated by governmental agencies (wildland fire protection agencies), that may coincide with a geographic area boundary or may be a subdivision of a geographic area within which they work together coordinating, for the effective, mobilization and demobilization of emergency management resources within their area. Listings of geographic coordinating areas and geographic coordination centers can be found in the National Interagency Mobilization Guide, Chapter 20, Section 21.1. 

A code representing a wildland fire geographic coordinating area.

The name of the wildland fire geographic coordinating area.

GIS calculated acres within the fire perimeter, not adjusted for unburned areas

Primary key for linking geospatial objects with other database systems.

The satellite used for data relay from NFDRS weather stations to ASCADS.

Elapsed time from receipt of notification by the personnel charged with initiating suppression action to the departure of the first attack unit.

An ignition that occurs as the result of concave glass or reflective materials focusing sunlight creating intense heat.

A disease of the eye marked by increased pressure within the eyeball that can result in damage to the optic disk and gradual loss of vision.

A system of navigational satellites operated by the U.S. Department of Defense and available for civilian use. The system can track objects anywhere in the world with an accuracy of approximately 40 feet.

The process of oxidation of solid fuel accompanied by incandesence. All volatiles have already been driven off, oxygen reaches the combustion surfaces, and there is no visible smoke. This phase follows the smoldering combustion phase and continues until the temperature drops below the combustion threshold value, or until only non-combustible ash remains. 

The final phase of combustion following flaming and smoldering phases.

Any wildfire on which suppression action has not reached an extensive mop up stage.

A vehicle owned by, on loan to, leased or rented by the government.

Activities and/or treatments conducted as part of official government operations.

Wind flowing parallel to pressure isobars or contours with low pressure on the left of the observer in the Northern Hemisphere; velocity such that the pressure gradient, Coriolis, and centrifugal force acting in the area are in balance.

Wind created by differing barometric pressures between high- and low-pressure systems. Velocity is generally five to 30 miles per hour, and wind shifts are usually gradual as systems move and shift.

A graphic scale is a line marked off on a map which compares map distances to the ground distance in "different" units of measurements.

Any fire in which the predominant fuel is grass or grasslike.

In NFDRS, the two grass types (annual, perennial) determine how seasonal drying of live herbaceous fuels is modeled.

Of, or pertaining to, measurement by weight.

Water storage tank for fire protection and sometimes community water service that supplies water by gravity pressure.

Green-up for the 1978 version of NFDRS model is defined as the beginning of a new cycle of plant growth. Green-up usually occurs once a year, except in desert areas where rainy periods can produce a flush of new growth more than once a year. Green-up may be signaled at different dates for different fuel models. Green-up should not be started when the first flush of green occurs in the area. Instead, the vegetation that will be the fire problem (represented by the NFDRS fuel model associated with the weather station) when it matures and cures should be identified. Green-up should start when the majority of this vegetation starts to grow. 

Landscaped and regularly maintained fuel break, usually put to some additional use (e.g., golf course, park, playground).

The heating of the earth's surface by both atmospheric infrared radiation and incoming solar radiation.

In the 1988 version of NFDRS, a code scaled from 0 to 20 representing the greenness of grasses and shrubs from near dead to maximum greenness.

Method of igniting prescribed fires in which ignition points are set individually at predetermined spacing with predetermined timing throughout the area to be burned.

A search technique typically dividing into squares the specific origin area and ignition area of a wildland fire to systematically search for microscale fire pattern indicators and evidence.

To search for a small fire by systematically traveling over an area on parallel courses or gridlines.

The value specified by the manufacturer as the maximum allowable weight placed on an axle of a vehicle when fully equipped, including payload, fluids and occupants.

Actual vehicle weight, including chassis, body, cab, equipment, water, fuel, crew, and all other load.